Adenia crassa Merr.

Climber to 10 m. Leaves herbaceous, entire or shallowly toothed in the lower half, ovate-elliptic to oblong, top longly acute or faintly acuminate up to 3(-5) cm, base cordate, 3-15 by 1½-9½ cm, 3-5-plinerved and 1-3 pairs of lesser nerves from the midrib; nerves often ± reddish tinged; petiole ¾-3½ cm. Glands at blade-base 2, 1-2½ mm ø, in two deeply hollowed auricles 2½-6 mm ø at the apex of the petiole; blade-glands 0-2, c.½ mm ø, submarginal; marginal glands minute, 0-5 at either side. Inflorescences peduncled for 1½-6 cm, in ♂ up to 30-flowered, in ♀ 2-5-flowered; tendrils 0, or 1 or 3, ½-2½ cm-Sterile tendrils up to 10 cm, in juvenile forms 3-fid, ending in small adhesive disks. Bracts and bracteoles narrowly triangular to oblong, acute, ½-1 mm. ♂ Flowers narrowly tubiform-urceolate, including the 9-10 mm long stipe 16-18 by 2½ mm. Hypanthium including calyx tube narrowed to the throat, rather fleshy (not leathery), 6-7 mm. Calyx lobes elongate triangular, subacute, 1-1½ mm, suberect in anthe-sis (not reflexed). Petals elongate triangular, acute, 1-1½ mm, inserted at the throat of the calyx tube. Filaments c. 3 mm, connate for 1½-2 mm, inserted at the base of the hypanthium. Anthers 3-3¼ mm, obtuse. Septa c. 1½ mm high. Corona 0. Disk glands 1-1½ mm. ♀ Flowers ± urceolate, including the 2½-3 mm long stipe 8-10 by 3 mm. Hypanthium including calyx tube 4-4½ mm. Calyx lobes triangular, subobtuse, c. 1 mm. Petals oblong, c. 1¼ mm, inserted at the throat of the calyx tube. Staminodes c. 1 mm, connate at base for c. ½ mm. Septa c. ½ mm high. Corona 0. Disk glands c. ½ mm. Pistil c. 5½ mm; gynophore c. 1 mm; ovary subglobose, c. 3 by 2½ mm; styles connate for c. ½ mm, style-arms c. ½ mm. Stigmas papillate-laciniate, each c. 1 mm ø. Fruit 1, subglobose, excluding the 10-15 mm long gynophore 5-6 by 4½-5 cm; pericarp woody-coriaceous, inside ± spongy, 1½-1½ mm thick. Seeds 30-40, suborbicular, c. 7½ by 7½-8 by 2½-3 mm, pitted; embryo c. 7 mm; cotyledons ovate, broadly emarginate at one side towards the top, c. 6½ by 5½ mm.

It is a tropical plant. It grows on the edges of forests from sea level up to 500 m altitude.

Uses. According to GORDON (PNH 82005) the fleshy arils are edible.